Homemade Edible Gifting: Quick and Easy Recommendations for Giving the Gift of Food this Holiday Season | Tuesday’s Tip of the Day!

This holiday season, consider giving the gift of food! Whether homemade fudge, caramel sauce, candied nuts, or peppermint bark neatly nestled in my favorite weckcanning jars, giving the gift of a homemade creation is one way to make a memorable impression.

Follow these steps to get started:

1)Make your selection! Determine what you would like to make and try a test run. There is nothing worse than making your treats, packaging them and realizing they aren’t shelf stable, for example. This is your chance to make sure that your edible gift, truly will make a positive impression.

2)Canning Jars: Select and purchase the appropriate size canning jar for creation – i.e. a wider canning jar for peppermint bark and fudge, and a slender jar for caramel sauce. It’s also important when considering the size of jar, to commit to filling it to the top. Make sure you know exactly how much fudge, for example, is needed to fill that jar before committing to its size. Kitchen stores, like Sur La Table, offer a great selection of canning jars while Amazon offers an even extended variety.

3)Label: Determine how you want to label your creations. Whether using a traditional label maker, hanging gift cards tied around the top, or chalk board stickers, make sure they work with the canning jar at hand.

4)Shop: Figure out exactly how many batches of treats you need to make to fill the chosen mason jars, make your shopping list, and head to the store!

5)Time to Get Baking! Once you have made your sweets, make sure they are at room temperature before securing the lid. Regardless of what you have made, be mindful of where and how you store and transport your gifts.